Thermometer ScalesKelvin, Celsius, Fahrenheit

FahrenheitIn the 1700s, G. Daniel Fahrenheit developed

a scale used by meteorologists for measuring surface temperature. The scale was named for the developer, and the unit of measure has become known as degree Fahrenheit (F°)

CelsiusAlso in the eighteenth century, a second scale

was developed for measuring surface temperature; it became known as the Celsius scale. The unit of measure in the Celsius scale is the degree Celsius (C°)

KelvinA third scale later developed for use by

scientists became known as the Kelvin scale. This scale begins at absolute zero and is sometimes more convenient to use because it does not involve negative temperatures. (The word degree is not used in Kevin measure.)

Thermometers ScalesCitizens of the United States primarily use

the Fahrenheit scale, the rest of the world uses the Celsius scale, and scientist use either the Celsius or Kelvin scale. Since we can use three different scales to measure temperature, it seems reasonable to have formulas for changing or converting from one scale to the another. Here are some useful conversion formulas.

Conversion FormulasC° = (F° - 32°) ÷ 1.8 F° = 1.8 x C° + 32 K = C°+273

Atoms and MoleculesAtom: the smallest component of an element

having the chemical properties of the element Molecule: is the smallest indivisible portion

of a pure compound that retains a set of unique chemical and physical properties. A molecule consists of two or more atoms bonded together.

Molecular MotionAll molecules are in constant motion. Molecules of a liquid have more freedom of

movement than those in a solid. Molecules in a gas have the greatest degree

of motion. Heat, temperature and the motion of

molecules are all related. Temperature is a measure of the average

kinetic energy of the molecules in a material

Molecular MotionHeat is the energy transferred between

materials that have different temperatures. Increasing the temperature increases the

translational motion of molecules